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NAGPUR: The possibility of a sudden attack on government establishments, especially police posts, along with Tactical Counter Offensive Campaigns (TCOC) during 'Martyrs week' (Shaheed saptah) annually observed by Maoists from July 28 onwards has prompted the security agencies to slip into alert mode.

High vigilance and bandobast are expected to be the highlights of police action gearing up to counter the annual event, which is usually stretched to 15 days. Deployed at the strategic locations in the naxal-affected districts like Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur, including key government establishments like MSEDCL sub-stations, telephone exchanges and MTNL towers and bus stations, police wants to ensure that the Naxal attacks can be countered on these 'soft' targets.

Anti-Naxalite Operation (ANO) cell has already been tipped off by the intelligence sources about the lethal tactics likely to be undertaken by the Maoists during the forthcoming Shaheed Saptah.

Sources claimed that the ANO has been informed about 'mobile warfare' or attacks on government establishments and police stations by Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons. Similarly, sources said that the ANO has also been alerted about the tactics like TCOC undertaken by the Maoists to target government establishments and sabotage government machineries.

"Security has been stepped up after inputs were gathered about the possible violent strikes by the Maoists,'' said Anti-Naxal Operation cell chief Pankaj Gupta. "Violent action against police personnel and government officials to avenge actions on naxalites by the security agencies would be the main focus of the violent plans of the naxals in this period but we are geared up too,'' said Gupta.

Co-ordination among the neighbouring states and different agencies would play a crucial role in countering the naxal's oppressive actions, he added. Apart from other challenges, heavy monsoon also has been worrying the ANO department.

"Taking advantage of the inundated nullahs and rivers in the districts, the naxals would try their utmost to cut-off the areas. Though rain would be a deterrent for naxals too but security agencies would be prepared,'' said Gupta.

Meanwhile, superintendent of police of Gadchiroli Rajesh Pradhan said that considering the naxal bandh call, extra State Reserve Police teams from Nagpur and Amravati had been deployed to spruce up security arrangements.

In Gondia, superintendent of police Pradeep Deshpande and special IG Shrikant Savarkar visited the naxal-affected villages of the district.

Deshpande has also deployed additional security personnel, including State Reserve Police Force, and has formed about 22 counter-insurgency teams in the area. The entire police machinery in association with the anti-naxal operations cell is geared up to meet any eventuality.

The local police have held coordination meetings with the officials of the forest, railways and other government departments to foil naxal designs.

The villages bordering Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli are together keeping a strict vigil to thwart any naxal strike. Like Pradhan, Deshpande too has appealed to the people not to sympathise with naxals and their nefarious and anti-national activities.

According to sources in the city police, security in the Orange city would be stepped up during the forthcoming Shaheed Saptah.

Apart from intercepting a vehicle with huge cache of arms possibly meant for distribution among the South-based splinter groups of naxal dalams last year, arresting state-level activists like Arun Thomas Ferriera and Murli along with two others, city police dealt a huge blow to the naxal movement in Vidarbha